It's Time to Go Fishing

Spring. Early summer. What a glorious time to be outdoors! The weather is warm enough to be in short sleeves, but cool enough to keep from perspiring hard. The trees have leafed, the dogwood, forsythia, and wildflowers are in bloom, and a profusion of insects greets me on the streams. I find it particularly difficult to write this time of the year. I keep giving myself some choices; write something, do some of those "fix-it" jobs waiting around the house, or go fishing. Too many decisions for a beautiful, spring day. "The grass really needed mowing, too." I say to myself as I back out of the drive and head for...some where. I promise myself to keep notes so I can write an article. House repairs can be done on lesser days. That's how I rationalize my decision.

Do I turn north and fish the Namiwag or turn south and try the Wabimakade, the Negawi, or fish Hashawa Pond. Do I fish some body of water that I haven't tried yet? Do I go for bluegills? They're always willing to entertain me. Do I go for bass? Less likely to take them off their beds with a fly rod this time of year, but when I do, what fun! Trout? Trout are easy to locate, but fishing for them can be as much mental effort as physical. I don't know if I have the energy to match wits with wary trout; I’m having enough trouble deciding where to go.

How much time do I have? What an obscene question that is. Fishing should be an endeavor without time. The fish and fatigue will tell me when to leave. Darkness will force me to fulfill my other commitments if nothing else will. Time indeed. A few hours today, perhaps, but how many days are left? I own this moment only. Assured that I am living life to its fullest , I turn the wheels south.

Taking time to fish, to relax, to enjoy the earth is important. It is as important as keeping the house in repair. It is as important as sharing thoughts with friends. It is as important as work. It is important because I am trading a day of my life to do it. It really doesn't matter where I go. It only matters that I go.

Royal Dun

Fireside Chillin Again

Like so many areas across the country, we are seeing an early spring. Even the 15 inches of wet heavy snow only a couple weeks ago is completely gone. The ice is off all the lakes already. I was ice fishing only a few weeks ago. We never did have thick, hard ice this year and several idiots tried to drive on to the lakes to prove it. I check nearly every day, but the fish have not yet moved into shallower water, even with temperatures in the 40’s.

The state forest campground near home was opened today. The state crew also had to move a fallen tree that had fallen across the road at the entrance. I drove in to look around with the intent of enjoying a lakeside fire since the fish haven’t begun their spring activity. There were a number of branches in the road, so I spent the next hour or so clearing the roads. There was one tree too large to move that lay across the road near the rear of the campground, but I always carry a small bow saw in the car. It took only about 10 minutes to saw the tree into three pieces.

After that, I decided to see if the campground on the Namiwag River was open. It was. There were four cars in the campground already. The steelhead are running and the Namiwag is a popular river to fish for them. I spent about ½ hour clearing those roads as well. At the north end of the camp there was a major tree across the road. It was too large to tackle with my bow saw and will require some high cutting, so the state crew will need to get that one. As I finished, I picked up three beer bottles and put them in my trunk. Thirty cents deposit. It’s nice to get paid for doing a good deed.

I returned to the first campground around 4:00 PM, just in time for All Things Considered on NPR. I drove to the north end of the campground. The campground sits on a modest bluff overlooking the eastern shore of Saga`igan Lake. I broke up a pile of branches, built a fire, and set up my folding chair. I turned on the radio and settled into my chair looking toward the lake. Two Bald Eagles serenely flew over the lake as I settled in. Nice.

Life is good.
Royal Dun

Fireside Chillin'

This fall, we were able to enjoy camping well into September due to the sustained warm weather. On January 10^th, in 40^o weather, I fished one of my favorite stretches of a flies-only stream that is open all year! Go figure. Two light takes, no fish.

Long after our trout season closer gathering, I enjoyed several trips to my favorite lakes and streams only to decide against fishing in favor of building a campfire and mellowing out for a few hours. I would sometimes turn the radio on and listen to some of my favorite programs on NPR as I tended the fire and policed the campsite.

On January 12th, we received our first significant snowfall of the season, about 6 inches. It turned very cold up here for the first time this winter, but the weather forecast is predicting upper thirties by Monday. I'll have to check out a couple of my favorite fire pits.

　
Royal Dun